Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution formally recognizes Sheeva Chourazghi-Azad for her service as a legislative intern for Representative Vincent Dixie. The bill commends her contributions to the General Assembly during the 2026 session and acknowledges her background in public advocacy and community leadership.
Maddy summaryHB 2232 allows eligible misdemeanor offenders in Tennessee to petition a court to seal their criminal records after completing all sentencing requirements and waiting five years without a new conviction. It excludes domestic assault and driving under the influence offenses from eligibility and requires a $500 fee to cover administrative costs. Sealed records remain accessible for specific purposes like firearm background checks, law enforcement hiring, and health registry checks. The bill amends Tennessee Code Titles 39 and 40 and takes effect July 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryHB 2229 establishes a parole pathway for individuals convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment between 1995 and 2020, directly affecting roughly 1,300 Tennessee inmates currently serving life terms. The bill allows parole eligibility after 25 years if inmates meet specific criteria: avoiding violent misconduct for 10 consecutive years (saving 10 years), avoiding drug violations for 10 years (saving 10 years), earning a college degree (saving 10 years), or completing five mandated correctional programs (saving 5 years). If parole isn’t granted, life sentences automatically expire after 40 years of incarceration. The law applies retroactively to eligible inmates as of July 2026, with parole decisions mandatory upon meeting all requirements.
Maddy summaryHB 2236 creates Tennessee's "First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program," administered by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. It provides up to $20,000 in assistance to qualifying first-time homebuyers for down payments, closing costs, or permanent interest rate reductions on qualifying mortgage loans for homes priced at or below $450,000. Homebuyers must use the funds within 60 days of purchase, and if they sell or refinance before their mortgage term ends, they must repay 50% of their home equity gain or the assistance amount, whichever is lower. The program applies only to homes in Tennessee that meet specific ownership and construction criteria. The bill is currently pending review by the Cities & Counties Subcommittee.
Maddy summaryHB 2235, the "Tennessee Fair Chance Housing Act," prohibits housing providers (like landlords, property managers, and real estate agents) from discriminating against applicants based solely on criminal history. It establishes time limits: housing providers can only consider misdemeanor convictions within the past 3 years and felony convictions within the past 10 years. For sex offense convictions, providers must conduct an individualized assessment to determine if there's a direct safety risk before denying housing. The bill also bans questions about arrests that didn't result in conviction and requires written evaluations considering factors like rehabilitation efforts and the nature of the offense.
Maddy summaryHB 2231 creates the "Tennessee Vehicle Value Protection Product Act" to regulate agreements that cover diminished vehicle value after accidents, total loss, or theft. It requires providers (like dealers or third parties) to guarantee their obligations through insurance, clearly disclose terms and cancellation policies to buyers, and prohibits dealers from forcing customers to purchase these agreements as a condition of financing or vehicle sales. The bill directly affects vehicle buyers (contract holders), dealers, and providers offering these agreements, which cover scenarios like trade-ins after accidents or replacement vehicle credits. Key provisions include mandating insurance-backed guarantees, prohibiting coercion, and defining excluded products like standard service contracts.
Maddy summaryHB 1032 requires local school district and public charter school leaders in Tennessee to immediately inform students, parents, educators, staff, and contractors if an immigration officer (including ICE or Customs officers) is present on school grounds. The bill directly affects school administrators and all individuals within the school community. Key provisions mandate real-time notification without delay and clarify that this requirement does not constitute a "sanctuary policy" under existing state law, avoiding penalties for compliance. The measure aims to increase transparency about immigration enforcement activity in schools while explicitly distancing it from sanctuary policies.
Maddy summaryHB 2295 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to study creating a program allowing doctors who graduated from medical school and passed the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (but haven't completed residency) to provide care under supervision. The report must assess the feasibility of this "graduate physician licensure program" by January 1, 2027, detailing how such physicians could work within a continuous supervision agreement with licensed doctors. It directly affects physicians without accredited residency training who wish to practice in Tennessee. The bill mandates this study to inform future legislative decisions, but does not create the program or change current licensure requirements.
Maddy summaryHB 2233, the "Junk Fee Prevention Act," prohibits businesses from using deceptive pricing practices that hide required fees in services like banking, travel, hotels, and ride-sharing. It requires businesses to display the total price - including all mandatory fees - clearly upfront before payment, rather than adding hidden charges later. The law directly affects consumers purchasing goods or services for personal use and businesses selling to them in Tennessee, banning tactics like misleading subtotals, small-print fees, or price increases after selection. It takes effect on July 1, 2027, with exemptions for government taxes and disclosed delivery fees.
Maddy summaryHB 2234, the "Stop Rent Rigging Act," prohibits landlords and software providers from using technology to coordinate rental prices across multiple properties. It bans facilitating agreements where landlords avoid competing on rent or using algorithmic tools that collect and analyze pricing data from two or more landlords (who aren’t subsidiaries) to recommend rents or lease terms. The law directly affects residential property owners/managers and companies offering data analytics services that enable coordinated pricing. Violations face penalties matching existing antitrust laws, and the bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
